Index tab sheet

ABSTRACT

An index tab sheet formed of individual, separate, juxtaposed index tabs each having a label portion provided on one face with a pressure sensitive adhesive. To a first zone of this face there is attached an index portion, while to the remaining area (or second zone) of the same face there is attached a continuous supporting strip which holds the index tabs together to form an index tab sheet. The supporting strip has an adhesive repelling coating and thus it can be easily peeled off the second zone for separating an index tab from the sheet and, at the same time, exposing the adhesive second zone of that index tab.

United States Patent Heimann [4 Dec. 9, 1975 [5 INDEX TAB SHEET 3,014,580 12/1961 Brody et a1. 206/460 [76] Heimm Falkenberg 2:242:22 2x32: 40/23 A wuppeml-Elbeffeld, 3,444,635 5/1969 Setzler 40/2 R Germany 3,583,358 6/1971 Hanson, Jr. 206/820 [22] Filed: July 11, 1973 Appi. No.: 378,060

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 97,463, Dec. 28, 1970, Pat. No. 3,747,242.

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 9, 1970 Germany 2000798 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Porter 206/820 Bishop, Jr. 206/460 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Spencer & Kaye ABSTRACT An index tab sheet formed of individual, separate, juxtaposed index tabs each having a label portion provided on one face with a pressure sensitive adhesive. To a first zone of this face there is attached an index portion, while to the remaining area (or second zone) of the same face there is attached a continuous supporting strip which holds the index tabs together to form an index tab sheet. The supporting strip has an adhesive repelling coating and thus it can be easily peeled off the second zone for separating an index tab from the sheet and, at the same time, exposing the adhesive second zone of that index tab.

5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 0f 3 3,924,744

Patent Dec. 9, 1975 I US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 Sheet 2 Of3 3,924,744

Sheet 3 of 3 3,924,744

Patent Dec. 9, 1975 INDEX TAB SHEET CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 97,463, filed Dec. 28th, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,747,242.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to index tabs constructed of adhesivecoated sheet material and more particularly to a material in sheet, strip or tape form having a non-drying pressure-sensitive adhesive surface covered with a removable protective strip and to various products and applications thereof which have a tab, projecting outwardly from the edge of a card or member to carry a label for an index designation.

Index tabs of the general type set forth above are constructed of a transparent plastic sheet with a self sealing layer and an index portion to be provided with markings (lettering or the like). After the index tab is removed from the protective strip, there are obtained exposed portions of the transparent sheet above and below the index portion.

These index tabs are used in a way that after marking (lettering, etc.) the lower portion of the transparent sheet is attached to the rear side of a card and the upper portion is folded over the index portion and affixed to the front side of the card.

This index tab is difficult to produce, as the tab sheet material has to be cut from both sides to secure a total and fault-free removal of the index tab from the remaining protective strip. To facilitate removal, a strongly adhesive repelling protective strip or sheet is required, whereby it usually cannot be avoided that the rear side of the protective sheet becomes also adhesive repelling. The consequence of this is that index designations (lettering, etc.) will not sufficiently adhere to the surface of the index portion which was cut out of the protective sheet.

Users of such index tabs have also experienced difficulty in the necessity to produce an index tab by folding the upper transparent plastic portion over the label for index designation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved index tab sheet of the general type set forth above which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages and difficulties.

In accordance with the present invention, the index tab sheet comprises a plurality of label portions provided on one face with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and arranged in a side-by-side relationship, an index portion attached to one zone of the adhesive face of each label portion and a continuous supporting strip which, with an adhesive repelling face, is attached to another zone of each label portion, adjacent the index portion. The continuous supporting strip holds together an indefinite number of label portions and, at the same time, protects their adhesive face. The lable portions each carrying an index portion may be individually peeled off the continuous supporting strip.

According to this embodiment of the invention animproved index tab is obtained of a construction that is simple to produce and easy to apply.

For making the index tab sheet, a known format sheet may be used, consisting of a material having an 2 adhesive coating covered with a backing material. The aforeoutlined index tab sheet is obtained by longitudinally cutting said format sheet into strips according to the width of the index tabs and by transversely cutting the adhesive coated material into label portions according to the length of the index tabs as well as cutting the backing material into index portions and a remaining supporting strip by a longitudinal cutting line according to the width of the index portion and a plurality of transverse cutting lines according to the length of said index portions.

Markings may be received either by the index portion cut from the backing material or by the label portion cut from the material having the adhesive coating. The

index portion may also be exchanged by another similar portion.

The present invention furthermore suggests that the backing sheet may be coated with adhesive repelling layer only in the area of said supporting strip, whereas in the area of the index portions said backing sheet is non-repelling. In this case the index portion will be firmly adherent to the label so that it' cannot be exchanged- In another embodiment of the present invention the longitudinal cutting plane that divides the backing material into a supporting strip and index portions is inclined with respect to the plane of the label portions. By this it is achieved that typing on the index portion is facilitated as the index tab will not separate so easily from the supporting strip when fed by the typewriter roll.

In a further modification of the present invention the longitudinal cutting lines to divide the format sheet into tab strips are executed as score lines so that the tab strips are coherent and arranged one over the other in a continuous form. Thus, a printing of the tabs on tabulating machines is also possible.

It is further an object of the invention to affix 'to a first index tab a second index tab, by using the lower edge of the second index portions as an abutting edge against the upper edge of the first tab. The indices and designations may especially in this case widely vary, so that the index portion of the second tab may, for in stance, receive a preliminary mark which may be eliminated by removing the index portion from the label. This label portion which consists preferably of a transparent foil may after removing the index portion be used as a protection foil by folding over the first index tab and affixing it to the front side of the said tab and the member. v

The various forms of the present invention and the features thereof, together with the method of making the same will be hereinafter fully explained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an index tab sheet according to the invention, including a supporting strip (shown partially peeled off for clarity) and several index tabs.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the rear and the front view, respectively, of a portion of the format sheet with index tabs cut by a plurality of longitudinal and transversal severing lines.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along the line A-B of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a perspective view of an index tab removed from the supporting strip and affixed to the rear or front side, respectively, of a card or member.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a front and rear view, respectively, of the continuous form of tab strips divided by DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to FIGS. 1 3, in carrying out the invention the index tab 10 is cut by the severing lines 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 from a format sheet 11, consisting of a sheet material 12 coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 25 and a backing sheet 13 coated with an adhesive repelling layer.

Said format sheet 11 is cut into strips by the cutting lines 14 and 18 according to the width of the index tab 10. The cutting lines 16 and are defining individual label portions 19 from the adhesive coated material 12, the cutting lines 15 going also through the backing sheet 13. A cutting line 17 is designed to divide the backing sheet 13 into a supporting protective strip and an index portion 21 used as a stiffening and designation member of the protruding part of the index tab.

It will be apparent that in this manner index tabs 10 are provided side-by-side, each having a label portion 19 provided on one side and over one zone thereof, with an index portion 21. The continuous supporting strip 20, is by virtue of its adhesive repelling face, removably attached to second zones of successive label portions 19. In this manner the continuous supporting strip protects the adhesive surface of each label portion and holds together the juxtapositioned index tabs 10 in the form of an index tab sheet. The index tab 10 may easily be removed from the supporting strip 20 by gripping the tab at the portion 21 and pulling it away from the supporting strip 20. Then the index tab 10 may be attached to a card or member 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, using the edge 23 as an abutting edge against the card edge 24 and securing it at the surface of said card 22 by the pressure sensitive layer 25.

It will be apparent that the index tab 10 may receive markings on the index portion 21 and/or the label portion 19 and said tab may be attached with the label 19 to the rear side or the front side of the card or member 22 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively. In this embodiment the label portion 19 should be relatively stiff to prevent that part of the index tab 10 which projects beyond the edge 24 of the card 22 from bending out of the plane of the card 22 in the course of normal handling.

The index portion 21 having adhesive repelling properties may be removed and replaced by another portion 21 with or without adhesive repelling properties so that the index designations may be changed as may be desired. If no further change of the designation is desired, the portion 21 should not be adhesive repellent. In this case the backing sheet 13 may have adhesive repelling coating only in the area of the supporting strip 20 whereas in the area of the portion 21 the backing sheet 4 13 will be non-repellent so that the portion 21 will firmly adhere to the label 19. V

In FIG. 4 there is illustrated an index tab 10, where the longitudinal cutting line 17 dividing the backing sheet 13 into the supporting strip 20 and the portion 21 is not cut perpendicularly, but in an angle of less than to the label 19. Stated differently, the abutting edge faces of the supporting strip 20 and the index portion 21 lie in a plane that is not normal to the label portion 19. This feature will prevent separation of the upper edge of the strip 20 from the label 19 when the index tab 10 is turned on a typewriter roll for the purpose of typing on the portion 21.

A similar problem arises when the index tabs 10 are to be marked in the tabulating machines of an electronic processing equipment. In this case it will be required that, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the index tabs 10 are arranged in a continuous form 26 with a plurality of control punch holes 27 formed along the length of the marginal edges thereof which holes are used to mate with an appropriate pin driving mechanism of the tabulating machine. It is seen that in this embodiment an indefinite number of index tab sheets (each having three index tabs 10 in this example) is arranged in juxtaposed rows. The marginal strip of punched holes 27 may be formed from the backing sheet material 13 or from both the backing sheet -13 and adhesive sheet 12. In carrying out this invention to attain a continuous form 26 the cuttine lines 14,18 respectively, are scored in the adhesive coated material 12, i.e. said lines 14 will be interrupted in some points so that there will remain connecting dots which hold the rows of the individual index tabs 10 together. After designation (markings) the rows of table transversely connected by the supporting strip 20 which is connected with the marginal strips of punched holes 27 may easily be separated. It will be apparent that in this case the surface of the continuous form 26 will remain closed if it is turned round the machine rolls of small diameter and no separating cutting edges will disturb the machine operation. In this case, however, the designation should be preferably executed only on the labels 19.

It will be apparent that the label 19 of the index tab 10 may also be formed from the adhesive-coated material 12 which is a transparent foil having an adhesive layer. This form permits an inscription on both sides of the index portion 21, as the rear side thereof will show through the transparent foil. For rear side inscription the portion 21 may be removed from the transparent foil and attached after inscription or replaced by another designated portion. Index tabs of this construction may also be affixed to an index tab 10 which has been already attached to a member 22. Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. As shown in FIG. 9, an index tab 10' comprising a transparent, foillike label portion 19 and a covering portion 21' (comparable to the index portion 21 of the index tab 10) is so attached to the back of the label portion 19 of an index tab 10 (which may or may not have been previously affixed to a card 22) that the covering portion 21 projects beyond the upper edge of the index portion 21 of the index tab 10. Thereafter, the covering portion 21' is removed and, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the transparent label portion 19 is folded down over the face of the index portion 21 and is affixed, by virtue of the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the label portion 19', to the card 22 over a zone which is immediately below the upper edge 24 of the card 22.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, there is provided an index tab sheet which is formed of index tabs (FIG. 12) each composed essentially of an index tab 10 and an index tab 10' as shown in FIG. 9.

The index tab sheet according to FIG. 11 is formed of an indefinite number of side-by-side arranged index tabs 10" (FIG. 12), each having in a coplanar, abutting relationship, a label portion 19 and covering portion 21". The front face (as viewed in FIG. 12) of portions 19 and 21" is provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive coating, while the rear face of the covering portion 21" carries an adhesive repelling layer. A transparent flexible foil 19", provided with an adhesive coating on its front face, is bonded to the rear face of portions 19 and 21". The latter, by virtue of its adhesive repelling coating, may easily be peeled off the foil 19". It may be observed from a comparison of FIGS. 9 and 12 that portions 19 and 21 in FIG. 12 form an assembly that corresponds to the index tab 10 in FIG. 9 and further, portions 19" and 21" in FIG. 12 form an assembly that corresponds to the index tab 10 in FIG. 9. The mode of utilization of the index tab 10 according to FIG. 12 is identical to that described in connection with FIGS. 9 and 10. As shown in FIG. 11, the individual index tabs 10'' are held together by the continuous supporting strip 20 having a rear face provided with an adhesive repelling coating. A further covering strip is attached to the front face of the covering portion 21". The strip 30, by virtue of the adhesive repelling coating on its rear face, may be easily peeled off the portion 21". The strip 30 may be continuous in which case it assists the strip 20 in supporting the plurality of index tabs 10", or it may be cut to the width of an index tab 10". In the alternative, it is feasible to make only the strip 30 continuous and to cut the strip 20 to the width of an index tab 10''. In such a case, it is then solely the continuous strip 30 which holds the index tabs 10" together to form an index tab sheet.

It may be observed from FIG. 11 that portions 20, 21, 30, on the one hand and portions 19, 21 on the other hand, may beformed from respective single sheets by appropriate cutting lines.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

I claim:

- 1. An index tab sheet including an indefinite number of juxtaposed index tabs adapted to be attached individually to the margin of a card, comprising in combination:

a. a plurality of relatively stiff label portions arranged in a side-by-side relationship; each label portion having a face coated over its entire area with a pressure-sensitive adhesive; said face being divided into a first zone and a second zone;

b. a plurality of index portions, one attached to said face of each label portion over the entire area of said first zone in registry therewith; said index portions being arranged in a side-by-side relationship; and

c. a continuous supporting strip having a face provided with an adhesive repelling coating; said supporting strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating to said face of said label portions over the entire area of said second zones for firmly maintaining said label portions in their side-by-side position; said continuous supporting strip being adapted to be peeled off from successsive label portions to expose their second zones and permit their separation from the index tab sheet; each label portion being adapted to be individually attached by said second zone to said margin of said card subsequent to peeling off said supporting strip, whereby said first zone with said index portion thereon projects beyond said margin of said card and is firmly supported by the relative stiffness of said label portion.

2. An index tab sheet as defined in claim 1, wherein adjoining label portions have completely severed, abutting edges.

3. An index tab sheet as defined in claim 1, wherein adjoining label portions have abutting edges that are separated from one another by score lines for ensuring easy detachment subsequent to peeling off said continuous supporting strip.

4. An index tab sheet as defined in claim 1, wherein said continuous strip has an abutting edge face with each said index portion, said edge face lies in a plane that is inclined with respect to the face of said label portions.

5. An index tab sheet including an indefinite number of juxtaposed index tabs adapted to be attached individually to the margin of a card, comprising in combination:

a. a plurality of label portions arranged in a side-byside relationship; each label portion having a face coated over its entire area with a pressure-sensitive adhesive; said face being divided into a first zone and a second zone;

b. a plurality of index portions, one attached tosaid face of each label portion over the entire area of said first zone in registry therewith; said index portions being arranged in a side-by-side relationship;

c. a plurality of covering portions, one disposed in a coplanar and abutting relationship with each said label portion adjacent the index portion, said covering portions having one face provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating and another opposite face provided with an adhesive repelling coating;

d. a plurality of transparent flexible foils, one attached, with one face provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating to each said covering portion and the associated label portion at respective faces thereof oriented away from said index portion;

e. a first protective strip having a face provided with an adhesive repelling coating, said first strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating, to said face of each label portion over the entire area of said second zone; and

f. a second protective strip having a face provided with an adhesive repelling coating, said second strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating, to said one face of each covering portion, at least one of said first and second protective strips is a continuous single strip for firmly but removably maintaining said label portions in their side-by-side relationship. 

1. An index tab sheet including an indefinite number of juxtaposed index tabs adapted to be attached individually to the margin of a card, comprising in combination: a. a plurality of relatively stiff label portions arranged in a side-by-side relationship; each label portion having a face coated over its entire area with a pressure-sensitive adhesive; said face being divided into a first zone and a second zone; b. a plurality of index portions, one attached to said face of each label portion over the entire area of said first zone in registry therewith; said index portions being arranged in a side-by-side relationship; and c. a continuous supporting strip having a face provided with an adhesive repelling coating; said supporting strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating to said face of said label portions over the entire area of said second zones for firmly maintaining said label portions in their side-byside position; said continuous supporting strip being adapted to be peeled off from successsive label portions to expose their second zones and permit their separation from the index tab sheet; each label portion being adapted to be individually attached by said second zone to said margin of said card subsequent to peeling off said supporting strip, whereby said first zone with said index portion thereon projects beyond said margin of said card and is firmly supported by the relative stiffness of said label portion.
 2. An index tab sheet as defined in claim 1, wherein adjoining label portions have completely severed, abutting edges.
 3. An index tab sheet as defined in claim 1, wherein adjoining label portions have abutting edges that are separated from one another by score lines for ensuring easy detachment subsequent to peeling off said continuous supporting strip.
 4. An index tab sheet as defined in claim 1, wherein said continuous strip has an abutting edge face with each said index portion, said edge face lies in a plane that is inclined with respect to the face of said label portions.
 5. An index tab sheet including an indefinite number of juxtaposed index tabs adapted to be attached individually to the margin of a card, comprising in combination: a. a plurality of label portions arranged in a side-by-side relationship; each label portion having a face coated over its entire area with a pressure-sensitive adhesive; said face being divided into a first zone and a second zone; b. a plurality of index portions, one attached to said face of each label portion over the entire area of said first zone in registry therewith; said index portions being arranged in a side-by-side relationship; c. a plurality of covering portions, one disposed in a coplanar and abutting relationship with each said label portion adjacent the index portion, said covering portions having one face provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating and another opposite face provided with an adhesive repelling coating; d. a plurality of transparent flexible foils, one attached, with one face provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating to each said covering portion and the associated label portion at respective faces thereof oriented away from said index portion; e. a first protective strip having a face provided with an adhesive repelling coating, said first strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating, to said face of each label portion over the entire area of said second zone; and f. a second protective strip having a face provided with an adhesive repelling coating, said second strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating, to said one face of each covering portion, at least one of said first and second protective strips is a continuous single strip for firmly but removably maintaining said label portions in their side-by-side relationship. 